March 8 ceremony could be emotional for ex-Cavalier Zyndrunas Ilgauskas

Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11), from Lithuania, puts up a shot between Orlando Magic's Tony Battie, left, and Travis Diener during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

It’s not often one sees a 7-foot-3, 260-pound man break down and cry.
That could well be the case on March 8 when the Cavaliers retire Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ No. 11 jersey at halftime of the Knicks game at Quicken Loans Arena.
“He went through a lot in his life,” Cavs center Anderson Varejao said. “I believe that will be the first time I see Z cry.”
It’s expected to be an emotional night for Big Z.
“I’m very excited for him,” Varejao said. “He’s like a big brother to me. He helped me a lot in this league with everything — basketball, on the road. When I got here, I didn’t speak any English. He took me under his wing and took care of me.
“It will be very emotional for me that night. He’s a big part of my life.”
Among the former teammates on hand could be LeBron James.
“LeBron is part of Z’s career,” Varejao said. “They played together for (eight) years. It will be a very special night for him. I’m happy to see him come back for Z.”
Obviously, Ilgauskas was a very good player. He was a two-time All-Star with the Cavs, but the Lithuanian has a lot more to offer.
“Throw the basketball stuff out the window,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “He’s a great human being. He’s a terrific, terrific human being. I really enjoyed being around him on and off the floor in my time here. He has a great family and great wife in Jennifer is second to none.
“On top of that, the type of player he was. He’s a professional. He helped a lot of our guys while he was here, not just on the floor, but off the floor. How to take care of your body. How to work on your game. All the little things that don’t show up in the box score. Andy will be the first to tell you, he learned a whole lot. It’s well-deserved.”
Brown wishes he had a chance at a do-over on the night Ilgauskas was going to break Danny Ferry’s franchise record for games played. Brown benched him for the entire game, citing afterward it was because of match-up problems.
“Every blip I’ve had while I’ve coached with every player I’ve had, along with my wife, I’d like to take back,” Brown said. “I really would. Right, Carolyn?”
Assistant coach Vitaly Potapenko and Ilgauskas were first-round picks of the Cavs in 1996.
He has a theory why Ilgauskas became so popular with the Cleveland fans. The hard-working fans saw how hard Ilgauskas played and how hard he worked to reach the heights that he did.
“I think it was because he was such a competitor,” Potapenko said. “I saw that the first time we played one-on-one after the draft. He never gave up. He loved the game. He played the game to win. He was very good at what he did. You saw his heart as a player.”
Potapenko said he enjoyed playing two seasons with Ilgauskas, especially in 1998 when the Cavs faced the powerful Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.
“Shawn Kemp arrived in our second year,” Potapenko said. “We made it to the playoffs and played Indiana in the first round. They had Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and the Davis brothers. We made a good run that year.”
Ilgauskas played 12 seasons with the Cavs. He’s currently the team’s special assistant to the general manager. He is the franchise leader in games played (771), offensive rebounds (2,336), total rebounds (5,904) and blocks (1,269). He’s second behind James in points scored (10,616).
Ilgauskas left a lasting impression on Cavs big men Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson. He tutored both players before practice last season.
“Big Z has been phenomenal to me the two years I’ve been here,” Zeller said. “I watched him play over the course of growing up. I’m very excited for him and it will be a big deal. Cleveland loves him. I think it’s a great honor for him, and a well-deserved honor.”
Potapenko said Ilgauskas could shed some tears on March 8.
“It could be a very emotional moment for him,” he said. “He gave it all to the home fans in Cleveland and the organization.
“I’ll be excited for him. He deserves it. He earned it. It will be great. I heard they are preparing a big introduction for him.”

About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@morningjournal.com
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